Grain-car door



1,661,514 H. C. TORDSEN GRAIN CAR DooR Filed April 1'7'.A 1926 2 shuts-SMB?, l

IN V EN TOR.

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Patented Mar. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENToFFIcE. f

HERMAN C. TORDSEN, OF LAXEFIELD, MINNESOTA, ASSGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO E. J.

" STOTEREAU ANDKFBED K.. GAGE, BOTH OF LAKEFIELD, MINNESOTA.

' GRAIN-CAR noon.

Application filed April 17, 1926. Serial No. 102,804.

This invention lrelates to doors for grain cars, and itsprimary object is to provide a panying folding door, of simple, strong and durable construction, which is adapted when in closed position to seal the door opening in a substantially leak-proof manner, and which is adapted to be easily and conveniently folded and moved laterally beyond one side of the doorway to uncover the latter'.

A further object of the invention is to provide a folding ers which `is movable toward and from the door jambs relative to the hangers to close tightly against suitable surfaces of the jambs and to permit movement ofthe door backwardly from the jambs so as to permit it to be shifted into and out of closing position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a folding door composed of hinged sections having a bottom opening through which grain may be discharged preliminarily to and to permit opening of the door, and which is provided with a lever` so constructed and arranged as to facilitate the folding of the door, which lever is also adapted to serve as a brace for the door sections in the folded and unfolded conditions of the door.

Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to theacconb drawings, `in which:

Figure 1 is a sectionalview of a portion of a` grain-car viewed from the outside, including one of the doorway openings, with the improved grain door attached and in closed position.y

`Figure 2 is a similar view of the parts viewed from the inside, a nd showing in full lines the door in closed position, and in dot-` ted lines the door` in retracted position.

Figure 3 isa vertical section taken `on the i line 3-3 of Figure 17 showing the door in closed position.

F- ure vet is a showing the door retracted position. y j l* l Figure 5 is a detail view showing a feature of construction. j

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates a portion o a grain car kor other structure having an opening or doorway 2 therein, and 3 are jambs or posts located at opposite sides of the doorway and viewfsimilar to Figure 3 folded and supported in door suspended by hang-r same vertical planeV when adjusted to close the doorway or opening 2. The door structure as a whole is supported byhangers 9 provided with rollers 10 to travel upon a horizontal track 11, said track beingV arranged above the doorway and extending beyond one side thereofto permit the door to be moved to retracted position. i Each of these hangers is provided `with a U-shaped guard 12 underlying the track 11 to prevent their upward displacement and the jamming of the rollers 1() Afrom the track. Brackets 1 3 support the door structure from the portions 12 of the hangers, said brackets being secured at their lower ends in any suitable manner to the upper door section 5.

The `track 11 is arranged flush with the top of the doorway and a suitable distance inside the vertical line thereof, so as to adapt the d0or when inthe folded position shown in Figure 4, to travel along said track parallel with 'and just inside of the wall in which the doorway or opening2 is formed. The brackets 13 have horizontal arms 14 at `their upper ends, which armsv are provided with transverse slots 15 to receive bolts or'other suitable fastenings 16 Ipassing through the guard portions 12V of the hangers 9. The slots 15 Aprovide for asliding adjustment between -the suspended door and the hangers 9, whereby, when the door is arranged opposite the opening 2, said door maybe moved toward andifrom said opening, for the purpose of bringing the door intoengagement with the ledges 4 for a tight closing-.action or to permit the door to be thrown inwardly `beyond the line of the doorway in order that it may be moved to a retracted position.y By this means the door maybe adjusted to close the opening 2 tightly against the escape of grain while it is also adapted to'be adjusted to permit of its movement into and out of closedposition without interference from the postsor jambs 3. 1

The bottom section G of the door is pro vided with a grain discharge opening 17 which occupies the greater portion of the areav of said door section, leaving the latter in the form of a marginal frame to receiveI a gate 1.8 adapted to fit within the opening. This gate 1S is hinged at its upper edge to the section 6, as indicated at 19, to swing open in an outward direction and is pro vided at its lower edge with latches 2() to engage keepersl 2l at the base of section It, wlnrreby the gate may be firmly secured 1n closed position against the escape of grain. The opening 17, which is normally closed by the gate 1.8, provides au outlet through which a certain amount of' grain may be allowed to discharge for inspection kwhenever desired, and it also provides a means whereby, through the full openingof the gate 18, all the grain lying immediately in rear of the lower door sections may be permitted to discharge to adapt the door scc tions to be folded upon themselves for a door collapsing and opening action. lt will be understood, of course, that when the ear is tilled with grain the grain banks tightly against the rear of the door, thus preventing the door from being folded and opened under normal conditions, but by opening the f gate 1S the bulk of grain in rear of thc door may be allowed to discharge, thus adapting the door to be easily and conveniently folded and opened for the removal ofthe remainder of the grain from the car.

'lhe upper section 7 of the door is hinged at its upper edge to the. top section 5 on the inside, thus adapting the said section 7 to be swung upwardly on the inner side of the section 5 and in parallel relation therewith. The two intermediate sections 7 and 8, however, are hingcdly connected at their adjacent edges on the outside of the door, so as to permitthe lower intermediate section t5 to be swung downwardly on the inside of the folded section 7 and in parallel relation therewith. The bottom door section G is hinged at its upper edge on the inside of the door to the lower edge of the door section so as to adapt it to be swung inwardly and upwardly on the inner side of the folded door section S and in parallel relation therewith when desired. A lever 25 is fixed at its lower portion upon the outer surface of the door section 7 and has its upper free end arranged to extend against the outer face of the door section 5 when the door sections are in closed position. The said upper portion of this lever serves as a handle by means of which the lever may be gripped for actuation, and said upper portion of the 1erer is provided with an opening 28 for passage of a staple or other like keeper member 2S) on the door section 5, through which staple or keeper may be passed a fastening pin 30, whereby the lever may be employed to lock and rigidly connect the door sections 5 and 7 against swinging or collapsingr movement, whereby the upper half' of the door will be held solid and rigid against the pres sure of the graii'i, the. lower door members being held solid and rigid by the pressure. ol' the grain holding them against the jambs or ledges al, so that in service an absolutely rigid and .secure type of' door will be provided.

Figure f. shows the door in closed position, from which it. will be seen that the door sections are in vertical alinement and abut against the inner faces off the flanges or ledges Ll, thus closing the doorway against the es ape of' grain. In opening the door to permit removal of the grain, the gate 1S may first be opened to permit discharge ol" the bulk of grain lyiiig immediately in rear of the door, after which the door may he folded and moved to retracted position. lu folding the door the :fastening pin 25() is disconnected from the keeper 25) and its upper end grasped and pulled outwardly and downwardly and then forced inwardly, .so as to cause the :section 7 to swing upwardly and upon the inside of the section 5, and the section to swing upwardly and upon the inside of' -section i'. the rigid portion of' lever 25 thusI lying between .sections ."3 and 7, while the handle portion thereof' is: reversed so as to lie against the outer face ot' the section (3 and to overlap the gate i8. In such position of the handle end of' the lever 25 the opei'iing 2H therein is brought into engagement. with a keeper ll adapted to receive a fastening pin 232 on the gate l5. whereby the handle end ofl the lever may be locked to the gate 1S, thus holding the scetion G rigid with section 8, and in vertical alinement therewith, so that all three sections (i, 7 and S will be rigidly coupled to permit the folded door to be run backward and forward on the trackwa i ll, which folding action is sufficient under all normal conditions to enable the door to be moved backwai'd and forward without interference from the grain. However, in order to afl'ord greater clearance, and to permit of the discharge of a. large amount of grain lying in rear of the door, the gate itl may be first opened to allow discharge of as much grain as possible and to permit the door Section t5 to be swung upwardly on the inner side of section to permit a` still larger amount; of grain to discharge, after which the portionS of the door may be folded for backward and forward movement to the position shown clearly in Figure l and in the manner before described. By this means any portionl of grain liable to interfere with the opening ot" the door may be discharged preliminarily to the door opening movement, after which the door may be folded and its` sections rigidly held together for a ready and convenient blt Uli

iii

movement back on the trackway to retracted 'position and subsequent movement thereafter to a position in alinement with the door opening. The adjacent edges of the respective door sections may, as shown, be suitably scarfed or halved in order to adapt them to lap when in closing position to seal all crevices against discharde of grain or collection of any grain or ot 1er foreign material therein.

If desired, suitable means may be provided to support the folded doorin such position when retracted. For this purpose I have indicated in Figure 3 a support 33 any number of which may be used. These supports may be suitably secured at their u per ends to the car roof and depend there rom and are'provided at their lower ends with 'feet or staples 34 against which the lower edge of the folded door may bear, as will be readily understood.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the construction and mode of my ilnproved grain car C door will be readily understood, and it will position, and supported against collapse when in retracted position. Y

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim:

V1. The combination with a structure having a door opening, and a trackway, of a door mounted to travel upon the trackway, said door comprising upper and lower sections and a pair of intermediate sections, the upper and lower sections being hinged to the respective intermediate sections onthe inside and the intermediate sections being hinged to each other on the outside, and a lever fixed to the outer side of the upper intermediate door section and .having a portion serving as a handle adapted to overlap upon the upper and lower door sections in the unfolded and folded positions vof the `door respectively, and means for, securing said handle end of the lever to said upper and lower door sections.

2. The combination with a structure hav- `ing a door-opening, of an overhead track,

hangers mounted to travelfon said track, brackets slidably connected with the hangers, and a door comprising upper, lower and intermediate hinged sections, and a lever connected to the upper intermediate hinged section and having an end `serving Las a handle adapted to be arranged to `overlap the top section or bottom section in the unfolded and folded positions of the door respectively and to be locked to said respective sections. Y e

In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature.

vHERMAN c. ToRDsEN. 

